Canutillo next on Lady Dogs’ radar

Published 7:37 am, Thursday, February 17, 2011

Photo: Richard Porter/
Plainview Herald

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Photo: Richard Porter/
Plainview Herald

Canutillo next on Lady Dogs’ radar

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With 10 seniors on their roster, the Plainview Lady Bulldogs have tons of post-season experience. The biggest thing that experience brings to the Lady Dogs' playoff run this season is a sense of finality.

Lose and go home . . . forever. There is no next season.

"It's definitely a lot of pressure," senior forward Marisa Gamboa said. "I think the pressure turns into excitement because we know there is no next game, no next season for us. So, I think there is definitely a lot of pressure, but I think we can turn it into positive energy."

The pressure seemed to get to the 10th-ranked Lady Dogs early in Tuesday's bi-district game against The Colony, but they quickly recovered and, as Gamboa said, turned the pressure into good play.

Now, the Lady Dogs are trying to play like the Green Bay Packers.

"In the playoffs, it's not always the best team (who wins). It's who gets hot at the right time," Plainview head coach Danny Wrenn said. "The Packers are a perfect example of that. They got hot at the right time and made a long run."

Plainview literally has their own run mapped out on their playoff T-shirts. On the backs of the shirts is a map of Texas with a red line that runs from Plainview to Snyder - the site of the regional tournament - and all the way to Austin.

No pressure, right?

"Our goal every year here is to get to Austin," Wrenn said. "I think we need to just do what we can do best and try to take as much stress off ourselves as we can."

Before the little red line runs through Snyder, it detours through Odessa where the Lady Dogs take on Canutillo at 6 p.m. Friday at Odessa Junior College.

"They won their district, and they've got 26 wins," Wrenn said of Canutillo. "And anytime you play a team that's still in the playoffs at this point, they're a pretty good team."

Canutillo (26-6) advanced to the area round by upsetting El Paso Andress 48-45.

From the scouting report Wrenn received from the Andress game, he said Canutillo relies heavily on its five starters, especially the guards.

The Lady Eagles' top scorers are Mandi Adams Lauren Splawn. Splawn scored 19 points in Canutillo's bi-district game and had a key steal late in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.

Inside, the Lady Eagles' main post is 5-foot-11 Erica Gonzales. Despite her size, Wrenn said after being outsized against The Colony, the Lady Dogs will have a size advantage Friday.

"They're not a huge team, but they have good general size," Wrenn said. "They won't have a big 6-2 shot blocker, and besides Gonzales they aren't really big."

Wrenn sees the Lady Dogs' deep bench being a major advantage over Canutillo, which relies heavily on its starting five.

Regardless of what Canutillo brings to the floor, Wrenn believes that if his team wins three key battles then the Lady Dogs will be back in the regional quarterfinals for a second consecutive year to face either Denton Ryan (21-9), which eliminated Palo Duro in bi-district 58-47, or Clint Horizon (26-6). That game would be played Tuesday.

"The three big things in the postseason are rebounding, defending and being able to execute in the half court," Wrenn said. "If we can do those three things, we'll be just fine."